The average mess: My CELTA experience

Hey there!
I'm finally back after my nearly complete four weeks on silence on this blog. That was a first! And I might just admit that I rewrote this post about a hundred of times. So, either I'm really out of the whole writing thing (naaah, 4 written assignments in the last week?! Gracefully mastered. No way I'm out of the whole writing thing...yeah ok I am) or maybe its just that I'm out of words to describe my last four weeks.

We'll start easy of with the most important point of all:
I want to send a Huge (as in with a capital 'h' and a bigger font) excuse and 'thank you' to everyone that stayed in contact with me (or well, rather did not) during the last four weeks. The experience of doing this course was definitely unique but, here comes the but, I probably wouldn't have wanted to be around myself all the time during that time as well (I really didn't want to haha).
After not getting good sleep for weeks, staying under constant stress (yeah I'm still whining. I really should shut up. They are just lame excuses)...ok so no more excuses.
I simply was one self-centred, hysteric, sleep-deprived....too make it short: Horrid person to be around.

Sorry, sorry, sorry! You'll all get a cake...or cookies...or a hug. Or all of it ;)

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Having said that, we might actually take a closer look on what was actually happening.
For those of you that didn't get the information yet, I participated in a CELTA 4 week intensive course. The CELTA is a certificate by Cambridge to train future ESL teachers.
If you consider taking it/wanting to, inform yourself about it: This is the official site.
Though...here are also two rather less official sites, but definitely worth taking a look at. Especially if you consider taking i!. (The use of heavy sarcasm and irony should be a common trait of yours, if you do so!)

For me, ...

There was this one point where my fb profile picture seemed to sarcastically smile down at me while I refreshed the page for the 100th time in hope to find enlightenment there. That, did not happen whatsoever. 12 pm. (And we're talking of facebook(!) anyway. I should have known enlightenment wasn't going to show up there...)

Resubmission.s Jep. Argh. We'll let it pass.

My new mantra for the weeks was: You'll be fine. You're smart, you'll learn it all soon I'm sure. (Desperately trusting other people)

I was so proud to say that my coffee intake was down to one coffee per day....that, however, was before the celta. Secret statistics are not going to be published.

I don't care if it's a B or not. I want to PASS. Simply pass.

Hysterical laughing attacks were a common thing. To all. times. of. the. day. (Adequate or not).

Birthday cake celebrations in the middle of the week made it special again.

Finger techniques. A lot of blushing. More hysterical giggling. Jeez, and you would expect us to be grown up!

The moment when you actually count a facebook messenger conversation as a social activity. Did happen. A lot. Not often enough though.

Break downs. A lot. Again. Often. With random people. In all kind of situations.

But there was also this feeling of doing this together. As a group.
And Friday evenings with....let's say 'apple saap' ;).... at the Main Ufer.
And Starbucks Frappuccino lunch breaks with favourite American girls.
And new shoes.
Ellie's awesome cakes!
And sushi talks.
Lots of other talks.
Awesome students.
Secret second life assassins.
And funny videos.
And hysterical giggle flashes.
And more hysterical giggle flashes.
Blushing.
Facebook stalking.
Bread and healthy eating habits conversations.
New shoes.
New Outfits adviced by Jo (not me though ;P).
"Jo"wesomenes!!! (YAY!)
And so much more that can't be described.
AND: I will miss them all a lot. It has been just for four weeks. But this group of people I met, were some really special and awesome personalities!

One unique time, I wouldn't want to miss!

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Btw: On a more serious level. If you do consider taking the CELTA course (or simply: you found this page by googling it and are hoping for some life saving advice. Yeah. I'll know. The statistics tell me exactly how you got here ;P)

This course is (kind of) hardcore!
I might have to admit, that my point of view makes it even a bit more hardcore. I was the youngest participant (haha I just slipped in, having the minimum age that is required), no real teaching experiences (though I didn't feel like this was a real disadvantage) and English not as a native but as a foreign language.
BUT: It is manageable. And even fun!
Though keep in mind:
If Cambridge says you won't have a social life for the course duration: They. are. not. kidding. whatsoever!
If they say it is intense: It is intense.
If they say it's a lot of pressure: It's a huge amount of pressure.

And saying all of this, is way easier after having it done (and being finished and starting to realise I might actually have some free time on hand now!!). During the course I thought ahead not much more than for one day. Ok. Make it more: I thought in one morning, one afternoon, one evening and one night. Short period of sleep. Repeat.
I also should mention, that I did the four week intensive version. There is one that will take longer and therefore be less stressful.

But (2nd time) This was also one of the most special and fun times in my life so far! And for nothing in the world would I have wanted to miss it. (And all the people that came along with it and that I hope to keep in touch with!!)
Take a look at those two pages (mentioned above 1 + 2). They sum it up quiet well. They made us laugh when it was pretty necessary. Though keep in mind, that people surviving the CELTA, tend to have a tendency towards sarcasm and irony (just sayin').
And: Every time you think this is hard and complicated and exhausting. Keep in mind: You can still do a hardcore DELTA course after that. Or a Master. You'll be thankful for just having to deal with the CELTA after those stories ;)

And that was my CELTA story....after four weeks of silence on this neglected blog. I can now focus on getting my life back on the tracks. Jeez. Oh and we're officially passed the countdown of two weeks!!! At this point in two weeks...

....I'll be blogging FROM CANADA again!!!

...haha ok probably not blogging right now. But anytime soon ;)

Less than two weeks guys!!!!

And that makes up for one big photo overload